MMD Lusaka Provincial Chairman William Banda has vowed to ‘go’ for The
Post Newspapers accusing the paper of creating ‘a lot’ of problems in the
country.

But Post Newspapers managing editor, Amos Malupenga wondered how
the paper was causing a lot of problems in the country by reporting truthfully
and objectively.

Banda issued the threat when he addressed stage-managed
defectors at Matero Community hall on Wednesday.

“We have been talking,
talking, talking but since this paper is in Lusaka and am in charge of Lusaka I
think I must go for it,” Banda said in an apparent reference to The Post to the
applause of the cadres.

“We are not creating problems, they are the ones
creating the problems by insulting our President.”

Banda said other
people that were insulting second republican President Fredrick Chiluba like
Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata should instead thank the former president
for exposing him to the world.

“Anso bamene batukana ba president Chiluba
(in fact some of those that are insulting Chiluba) like Sata, he was nothing, he
must praise President Chiluba for picking him and making him known to the world.
He became a national secretary, he became a director in one of the banks, where
did he get the money from?” Banda asked.

And in apparent reference to
Change Life Zambia (CLZ) director Fr Frank Bwalya, Banda warned that they would
go for him for “having joined politics.”“Even a father now, as a father if
you have declared yourself a politician we are going to take you on,” Banda
charged.

But Malupenga described as total nonsense Banda’s claim that The
Post was causing problems in the country.

“He’s just not happy because
The Post is exposing that which they want to be buried and for them that is
confusion,” he said.

Malupenga said he was not worried about Banda’s
threats but would not take them lightly saying the The Post reserved the right
to defend itself.

He said should Banda go ahead and carry out his threats
against The Post, the country will have no difficulties in telling who was
causing confusion between The Post and Banda.

“We know William Banda is a
thug, he can easily carry out his threats but should William
Banda and his thugs come near our facilities during the course of our work, we
will be more than ready to defend ourselves,” he said.

Malupenga said
Banda’s threats had the blessing of his boss, President Rupiah Banda.

“We
know that William is doing has the blessing of his boss and when I talk about
his boss am talking The President. There has been so many times that he (Banda)
has issued threats against President’s Banda’s ministers and the President has
been quiet,” he said.

Malupenga said the work of The Post could not be
judged by Banda but that he would leave it to the public to judge.

“But
over and above, we know that this is just a fundraising venture, for Banda and
the thugs that are under his command. For him to issue even those threats that
he issued, he has made a bit of something for his living. He will call his
sponsors and say have you heard how we are putting them under pressure,” he
said.

Apart from just politicking, it’s source of livelihood, the more he
seems to be fighting the Post, the more money in his pocket, so we are not
worried about those threats it’s not the first time he is saying that but we can
assure him that we are ready for him should he decide to demonstrate against
us,” he said.